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Friday, October 24, 2014

NEW RELEASES: LINDA CLIFFORD – IF MY FRIENDS COULD SEE ME NOW; THE MAR-KEYS – THE GREAT MEMPHIS SOUND; BARBARA LYNN – HERE IS BARBARA LYNN

LINDA
CLIFFORD – IF MY FRIENDS COULD SEE ME NOW (WITH BONUS TRACKS)

The
standout classic from Curtom disco diva Linda Clifford – and an album that
showed that Chicago could rival Philly in the clubby groove department! Linda
has a proud presence that really matches that of her better-known sisters in
the City Of Brotherly Love – and she's singing here with a strong sense of
personality that really sets the album apart from other female disco albums of
the era. One of the greatest examples of this is her stunning "Runaway Love"
– which has a bad-rapping, almost Marlena Shaw-esque monologue in the middle –
but other tracks are equally nice, and include "Gypsy Lady", "If
My Friends Could See Me Now", "Broadway Gypsy Lady", "You
Are You Are", and "I Feel Like Falling In Love Again". Arrangements
are by Gil Askey – who also produced the set in collaboration with Curtis
Mayfield! ~ Dusty Groove

THE
MAR-KEYS – THE GREAT MEMPHIS SOUND

A great
Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to
Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The
Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound
that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly
as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of
smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax
Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation
that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give
the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves
on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and
"Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's
pretty darn swingin too. ~ Dusty Groove

BARBARA
LYNN – HERE IS BARBARA LYNN

A
fantastic album of soul from Barbara Lynn – an oft-overlooked gem in the crown
of Atlantic during their glory soul days in the 60s, and a singer with a raw
soulful style that really deserved greater exploration! The album's filled with
wonderful original tunes, written either by Barbara or arrangers Cliff Thomas,
Ed Thomas, and Bob McRee. The set was recorded at the Grits & Gravy Studios
in Clinton, Mississippi by Huey P Meux – which gives it a slightly different
style than much of the Atlantic output at the time. Titles include "You're
Losing Me", "Sufferin City", "You'll Lose A Good
Thing", "Take Your Love & Run", "I'll Suffer",
"Maybe We Can Slip Away", "Multiplying Pain", and "Mix
It Up Baby". ~ Dusty Groove